Two German Navy ships have for the first time since 2002 crossed the Taiwan Strait on a passage from South Korea to the Philippines. The F125-class frigate Baden-Wuerttemberg (F222) and the Berlin-class replenishment oiler Frankfurt am Main (A1412) completed the transit between the 13th and 14th of September. The event prompted statements by German officials and drew some irritation from Beijing.
Baden-Wuerttemberg and Frankfurt am Main had previously conducted operations in support of the UN-sanctions against North Korea (DPRK). Prior to that both units participated in multinational exercise Noble Raven 24-3. The ships were joined by the navies of Australia, France, Italy, Japan and the United States.
Several visits to local countries planned
Previously indicated further ports of call include Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, before the flotilla is heading for India. The current deployment despite the name effectively represents a global circumnavigation. This cruise stands in contrast to the journey of the frigate Bayern in 2021. The ship then headed from Germany to the Indian and Pacific Oceans and then returned via the same route.
Passage of the Taiwan Strait represented one of the talking points of the current deployment in media and wider professional discussions. Official statements on the deployment until last week would not clarify whether a Taiwan Strait-transit would occur. The first relevant information in this regard was a report on September 7th in German media based on leaks by unnamed officials.
Back in 2021 FGS Bayern (F217) intended to berth in Shanghai as part of a schedule of port visits across the region. The event by default would have implied a Strait passage, similarly to the 2002 visit, when frigates Rheinland-Pfalz (F209) and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (F218) visited Qingdao. However, after some delay the Chinese government withheld an invitation for Bayern. The ship instead sailed to the east of Taiwan, officially the intended course did not require a passage anymore.
German officials emphasize status of Strait and routine operation
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Friday confirmed the pending passage and commented on the rationale for the transit. “The signal here is simple and one which we, which I have always emphasized. International waters are international waters. It is the shortest way. Considering weather conditions it is the safest way, and since its international waters, we are going through there.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on an unrelated press conference in Berlin merely remarked: “There isn’t much to say about the passage of ships. Its an international waterway.”.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry before the event criticized passages by foreign naval warships. The statement claimed such operations “provoke and endanger China’s sovereignty and security under the pretext of freedom of navigation.”. The remarks did not mention Germany by name. On Sunday, in response to the German Navy transit of the Taiwan Strait, the PLA Eastern Theater Command issued a further statement. Senior Captain Li Xi stated: “Germany’s actions have increased security risks and sent wrong signals,”. The ETC spokesperson also noted, unsurprisingly, that PLA continuously monitored both ships during their passage.
The Taiwan Strait despite its name is not a narrow body of water. Width averages between 180 and 130 km (97 to 70 nautical miles). Accounting for territorial waters extending 19 nautical miles (35 km) on both sides, a substantial area of international waters around 70 km wide remains available for passage by any foreign shipping, commercial or military. The waterway therefore represents a distinct case from narrower passages such as the Danish or Turkish Straits, which run through territorial waters of coastal states. China asserts territorial control over Taiwan, which it considers a renegade province.
Notably Beijing also claims control over the waters between the island and the mainland. In this context Chinese officials challenge the character of international waters, particularly the transit rights of foreign warships. UNCLOS, to which China is a signatory, does not use the term “international waters”, a distinction regularly seized upon by Beijing. Nevertheless the framework establishes clear rights pertaining to the high seas applicable to the Taiwan Strait. The convention furthermore sets out clear limits on sovereignty and jurisdiction for the EEZ of coastal states, also applying to this international waterway.
